Roche Ireland Limited is a subsidiary of the Roche Group with headquarters in Basel, Switzerland. The Irish manufacturing facility was established in 1974 as Syntex Ireland on 36 hectares of land overlooking the Fergus river in Clarecastle, Co.Clare. In 1994 Syntex Ireland became part of the Pharmaceutical Division of the Roche Group when Roche acquired the Syntex Corporation. Currently Roche Ireland employs in excess of 240 people. Employees come from a wide range of disciplines and include chemists, engineers, manufacturing and laboratory technicians, craft-workers, accountants and IT specialists. There are four automated manufacturing plants on site with room for further expansion. Roche Ireland is a manufacturing centre of excellence for the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients destined for conversion to medicines in dosage form at other Roche facilities throughout the world.